Press Releases
Austin’s
Little-Known History
Wildly Austin: Austin’s Landmark Art
(AUSTIN, Tex) One day
in 1989, Pat Swanson sold two colorful flamingos on the
lawn
in front of his store, Pots and Plants, as soon as he set them out front.
Swanson kept
adding flamingos to his lawn until the yard became an Austin landmark (at
360
and Bee
Caves Rd). Even President Bill Clinton has stopped to buy a pair of flamingos.
The
community has helped defend the flamingos against threats to have them removed, and
the Pots and Plants lawn has become a sanctuary for the beloved birds, reminding
us that Austin is still wild!
Stories
like the above communicate and reinforce the reputation of uniqueness
and
independence that Austin has earned over the years. One way Austin helps
preserve
its culture is through art. Extraordinary art is not only seen in museums,
but
has also
become a part of the landscape of Austin and is seen at restaurants, on
cars, and in
front of stores.
Vikki
Loving has captured the essence of Austin’s quirkiness in her
new book,
Wildly
Austin: Austin’s Landmark Art, with stories like the above. What started
out in
2000 as
an outing with her daughter to photograph different and interesting things
around Austin,
has turned into a book aiming to encourage others to follow their dreams.
Loving
says, “I
was inspired to document this art because each piece is the
manifestation of one person’s passion. Each landmark represents a
purpose
fulfilled
or a dream followed. My goal with this book is to inspire more people to
love
an idea
enough to see it through to its fruition.”
Wildly
Austin: Austin’s
Landmark Art features pictures of distinct artwork in
the
community with the accompanying stories behind each piece. Loving reveals
the
background on these landmarks, ranging from the Eiffel Tower statue outside
Dreyfus
Antiques that was attacked by a man in a King-Kong suit, to the notorious
two-headed
longhorn at the restaurant, County Line on the Hill, to the explanation behind
Mangia
Pizza’s “Mangia Zilla” mobile.
Wildly
Austin: Austin’s
Landmark Art is the first in a four-part series.
“Wildly Austin books will be about the unique, fun, funky things we celebrate here in Austin.
The first
about landmark art, the second about murals, the third about architecture
and
the fourth
about destinations that are truly Austin,” says Loving. “Keep
an eye out for
Wildly Austin
tours, maps and t-shirts.”
Here
are a few of the stories you'll find in Wildly Austin: Austin’s
Landmark Art:
•
King-Kong attacks Dreyfus Antiques’ Eiffel Tower
•
Restaurant County Line on the Hill’s two-headed longhorn runs amuck
•
The oldest bug in Austin: the Terminix Bug
•
The Longhorn on 15th Street
As a guest, Loving can discuss a number of topics, including:
• Her personal passion and journey to create this book
• The wacky stories she discovered during her research
• How local art is a valuable contribution to the community
To learn more about Vikki Loving or to schedule an interview, please contact Marika Flatt, PR by the Book, 512-560-6787 or marikaf@earthlink.net. You can find out more information at www.wildlyaustin.com.
Reviews
Volume I Wildly Austin: Austin's Landmark Art by Vikki Loving with photography by Gregg Cestaro is a delightful collection of photos and descriptions and some history behind the funky visual landmarks around the city which have been fondly observed through generations. Anyone with roots in the city or who attended University of Texas will want this delightful conversation piece/memorabelia book. It is the first of what promises to be a terrific series by Loving and Cestaro who lived in Austin but pursued careers in other places and then returned to re-look at the city they love with new awareness. You will too!
This review courtesy of Real Travel Adventures International Magazine. Bonnie & Bill Neely invite you to subscribe free for this monthly travel magazine.
Articles
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